M6 Group reports €1.3 billion revenue amid streaming transformation
French broadcaster M6 Group maintains stable revenue while investing in new streaming platform M6+ and sports content.
According to financial results released on February 11, 2025, M6 Group generated consolidated revenue of €1,311.2 million in 2024, remaining stable compared to the previous year's €1,315.6 million. The French media company's advertising revenue held steady at €1,061.6 million, while non-advertising revenue reached €249.6 million.
M6 Group's profit from recurring operations (EBITA) amounted to €242.1 million in 2024, compared to €300.7 million in 2023. According to the company's financial statements, this decline reflects substantial investments in streaming technology and the impact of a slower video advertising market during the second half of the year.
A significant milestone in the company's digital transformation occurred in May 2024, when M6 Group launched M6+, its new streaming platform replacing the previous 6play service. According to RTL Group documents, the platform offers 30,000 hours of content throughout the year, including 10,000 hours of exclusive programming. The streaming service's revenue grew by 34.2% year-over-year, reaching €99.5 million and representing 9.6% of the video division's total revenue, up from 7.1% in 2023.
The investment in M6+ required €46.4 million in additional operational costs, encompassing exclusive content production, technical infrastructure, and marketing expenses. According to company statements, the platform achieved significant user engagement, recording 25.4 million unique monthly users in November 2024, with a peak daily audience of 3.4 million users on November 7, 2024.
In traditional broadcasting, M6 Group's free-to-air channels maintained a combined audience share of 12.8% across all viewers. The flagship M6 channel recorded a 7.8% total audience share in 2024, demonstrating the strongest growth in prime time among French channels, excluding Olympic Games coverage.
Sports programming emerged as a key driver of audience growth. According to audience measurement data, the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final match between France and Portugal attracted 12.7 million viewers on M6. Throughout the tournament, 48 million French viewers watched football content on the channel. The company has secured broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and 2030, further strengthening its sports portfolio.
Entertainment formats continued to deliver strong performance. According to audience figures, the 19th season of "L'Amour est dans le Pré" (Farmer Wants a Wife) averaged 4.7 million viewers, achieving a 29% audience share in the 25-49 age demographic. "La France a un incroyable talent" (Got Talent) reached a 28% share in the same target group.
The company's film and audiovisual division demonstrated robust growth, with M6 Films and SND contributing to one-third of French-produced film ticket sales in 2024. This performance led to a 17.1% increase in revenue for the Productions & Audiovisual Rights division.
M6 Group's radio operations, comprising RTL Radio France, Fun Radio, and RTL 2, achieved a combined audience share of 22.2% among listeners aged 25-49 years, marking a 0.2 percentage point improvement from the previous year.
The company's digital transformation extends beyond streaming video. M6+ integrates podcasts and audio content onto the same platform, marking the first time M6 Group has offered cross-media content in a unified environment. The service provides features such as HD streaming and TV casting capabilities at no cost to users.
Looking ahead, M6 Group aims to double online program consumption and triple revenue through its streaming operations by 2028. The platform's technology is supported by Bedrock, a streaming technology company jointly owned by M6 Group and RTL Group.
This comprehensive transformation comes as traditional media companies adapt to changing consumption patterns. The stable overall revenue, despite significant investments in digital infrastructure, indicates M6 Group's strategic balance between maintaining its traditional broadcast operations while building future growth drivers in streaming and digital services.